Operating Policies andProcedures Manual

POLICY

1. Whenever possible and practical, all goods and services required by the various departments of the university regardless of the source of funds, are obtained from university departments or service areas (i.e., the Bookstore, Printing Services, Facilities Management and Central Stores).
   1. Requests for printing services from university branch campuses and degree centers are made through a purchase order issued by the respective unit to the print shop. The finance office then bills the unit for the charges.

2. All materials, supplies, equipment or services which are not available from university sources and are to be acquired by purchase, lease or rental shall be requisitioned from the Procurement Services Department.
1. Procurement Services is responsible for all inquiries and investigations regarding the purchase.
2. All items to be attached to the building such as floor tile, blinds, etc., must be coordinated through Facilities Management. (See "Modification/Renovations of Buildings, Furnishings and Equipment" for more information.)

3. All correspondence with suppliers must be conducted by Procurement Services except when Procurement Services deems it advisable to delegate this authority to others.
1. In such cases, copies of all correspondence shall be sent to Procurement Services.

2. All preliminary correspondence must accompany the purchase request and shall become part of the records of Procurement Services.
4. Staff members shall not give any information which might commit the university or sign any lease or purchase agreement on behalf of the university.
   
   
5. The university shall not assume any responsibility for any purchase made directly by any staff or faculty member other than authorized Procurement Services personnel.
   
   
6. Procurement Services obtains competitive bids and places orders with the lowest and best bidder in accordance with state laws and regulations. (See "Bid Requirements" for more information.)
   
   
7. Requisitions for purchases must be approved by the appropriate administrator and forwarded to Procurement Services for processing.
   
   
8. Under no circumstances will Procurement Services make any purchase for the personal or private use of any person.
   
   
9. Purchase orders shall not be issued to the business interest of any university employee for the procurement of any materials, supplies, services, or equipment.
   
   
10. Procurement Services shall conduct all necessary adjustment negotiations.

1. Requests for the purchase or lease of any materials, supplies, equipment or services are submitted on an online requisition.
   1. All requisitions should be submitted far enough in advance of the need to permit correspondence, investigation of sources of supply and securing of competitive prices. Normally, 10 to 15 working days are necessary before an order requiring competitive bids can be placed.)

   2. Quantity requirements for a reasonable period should be anticipated to avoid unnecessary repetition of requests and orders.

   3. All rush or emergency purchases must be coordinated through the director of Procurement Services and the vice president for finance and administration.

   4. Separate requests should be submitted for different types of commodities not normally available from the same suppliers.

1. Prior to the request for purchase, the department should ensure that funds are available for the purchase.
   
2. The requisition is completed by the department and approved by the authorized official(s).
   1. Each item should be clearly described, and detailed specifications given so as to ensure receipt of satisfactory materials, supplies, equipment or services.

   2. A definite delivery date should be indicated when possible on each request.

   3. Each request shall show a departmental estimate of the cost. If the cost significantly exceeds the departmental estimate, Procurement Services will obtain telephone approval for off-campus supplies from the department before proceeding.

3. For off-campus vendors, Procurement Services reviews each request and issues a purchase order.
   1. When competitive bids are necessary, Procurement Services obtains the bids, after necessary consultation with the department, then selects a supplier based on the best and lowest bid.

   2. When applicable, Procurement Services utilizes existing state contracts for goods and services.

This page is maintained by Cassey Tune
Last updated on 02/16/2004